Michelle Obama Admits She 'Doesn't Miss' Her Daughters — as Ex-First Lady Reveals Barack 'Cried' After They Moved Out
Michelle Obama is quite happy living without her kids these days.
Aug. 28 2026, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
Michelle Obama confessed she's a very happy empty nester who "doesn't miss" her kids while revealing her husband, Barack Obama, "cried" when their two daughters left home for college, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The former first lady, 62, shared she had "so much quality time" raising Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, that she "was like, bye!" when they finally flew the coop.
Barack Obama 'Cried' When Kids Left For College While Michelle Cheered 'Bye'
Michelle Obama confessed 'I don't miss' daughters Malia and Sasha after they left home.
Michelle made the shocking admission during a parenting discussion with guest Jon Stewart on the Wednesday, August 26, episode of her IMO podcast.
"I don't miss them. I don't," the Becoming author said about Malia and Sasha.
"I love them. I'm going to see them tonight for dinner. I love them, but, you know, Barack cried when they went to college. I was like, bye. Goodbye!"
Malia took a gap year working in New York before heading to Harvard University in 2017. Sasha started attending the University of Michigan in 2019 but later transferred to the University of Southern California.
Michelle Obama Loves Her Daughters' 'Emancipation and Growth' After Teenage Years
Michelle Obama said it's such a relief not to worry about where her then-teenage daughters are on weekends.
Michelle raved over how she no longer has to spend weekends worrying about what the girls were up to, which she did during their teenage years when Barack was still president and the first family was living in the .
"Now Friday nights aren't wrecked with terror and fear about, 'where are you? Where are you?!'" she proclaimed while looking down at her watch.
"I love their emancipation and growth" Michelle raved as girls went on to build lives and careers of their own.
'I Have a Great Schedule and It's All Mine'
Michelle Obama cracked Jon Stewart up when she shared 'look at all this meaning' about her life and career after raising her daughters.
Stewart, 63, and his wife, Tracey, 59, share two children who are young adults, son Nathan, 22, and daughter Maggie, 20.
"The thing I miss, though, is the job," The Daily Show host lamented about being a hands-on parent to his children when they were still living at home.
"Like, don't you miss? Like, it gave a meaning and like pattern to my life," Stewart described to Michelle, who jumped in with an immediate "no!"
"I'm good. Look at all this meaning," The Light We Carry author smiled as she waved her hand to show off her podcast studio.
She added, "I have a wonderful pattern. I love my schedule. I have a great schedule, and it's all mine."
'I've Had So Much Quality Time With My Children'
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Michelle Obama stressed how mothers put in more time raising their children than dads.
Michelle made it clear she wasn't being selfish by proudly calling the shots in her 60s, pointing out that she put in the hard work raising the couple's daughters while Barack was consumed with building his .
"I think fathers can be that way because you weren't there from six at night; you missed a lot of it," she explained about how moms tend to be around more than dads in their children's formative years.
Michelle added, "I mean, I've had so much quality time with my children. So much, you know, I know them inside and out."
